Will I be too old?

Hi everyone. Long time lurker, first time poster here.

I need some advice, and I thought you guys might help. I'm 22, and I just completed my GCSEs last year, and I'm in the middle of my A levels which should be finished around June this year. Now for some time, I've been interested in acting, and my future goal is to become a professional actor. I'd love to go to an acting school but lots of people have told me how I should really concentrate on getting a degree in something else first and then get a post-graduate acting degree.

The thing is, if I did that, I'd get out of university at around 27 or 28, and surely that's too old to go to acting school? If an acting degree is three years, and I start when I'm 28, that would make me 31 when I actually completed it.

So I'd really like to know what I should do, guys. Should I go straight to acting school now, or wait until I've completed an undergratuate degree?

(If I were to go to university first, I'd do something like modern languages)

Thanks in advance!

Reply 1

Ceri327

hey i dont know anything about acting,

but i do know that if you dont go to uni when you have the chance you will probably regret it later, your chance has just come a little later than the majority of people. but all kinds of people go to uni and you wont be the only "mature" student there.
you should definately go while you have the chance if you decide not to then in a couple of years you'll regret it cause you'll be that much older again if that make sense

go for it!!!

Reply 2

Katy200

id go for it, i dont think you can ever be too old.

Reply 3

sheepgirl

You can do a 1 year post grad course in acting at most drama schools which will give you the same oportunities as other actors - but only after 1 year. The course is pretty intense - but then atleast you can start when you are a little younger. Id say go for it. As someone saidd u'd probably regret not going to uni. Maybe you could apply through UCAS for a university place, and go non-ucas for drama courses and then decide what to do if you get a place at both uni and drama school

Reply 4

charlotte m

I think it's a good idea to go to go to uni, you'll have a great time and modern languages is a really good degree to have. Then you'll have something good to fall back on. I really don't think you should worry about your age at all! Also I've heard that RADA like it if you do a degree first because it shows you're good at other things, and apparently they rarely take 18 year olds who have just finished A-levels, they like it if you do a degree first. Also who says you need to go to drama school? If you think you can make it, alot of getting acting jobs is down to being in the right place at the right time so maybe if you do your degree you could then just try loads of auditions? On the other hand, you might find that if you do your modern languages degree you really enjoy it and end up wanting to do a job to do with that? Good luck with it all and good for you for doing your GCSEs and A-levels.

Reply 5

Joe_JBB

I'm going to be controversial and advise you to go straight for drama school, if you're sure that's what you want to do. For a long time, I had my heart set on drama school, but then changed my mind. However, you're 22 so have had a longer time to think about it, and it sounds to me like you definately want to be an actor.

The reason most drama schools like people to do something else after A levels is because they assume that you'd be 18 after A levels. And they want people to have more time to mature. For example, one of my friends has her heart set on drama school, and she's really good, but RADA and the like have just said 'go away, you're too young, come back in a year or two'. At 22, however, it would be different.

Also, about regretting not going to uni. If it's because you'd regret not getting a degree, the three year acting courses at drama schools do lead to a BA (Hons) in acting. So you get a degree, but also vocational training to be an actor. If it's because you want the uni experience, however, that's different; drama schools are really intense, 9-6 days and then learning lines etc. etc., plus they're small places. However, there are a few universities that offer acting degrees which are respected as much as drama schools, and NCDT accredited - Manchester Met, for instance (Julie Walters went there). So you could go for something like that.

I'd only recommend uni if you're young (ie. 18), or if you're not sure if you want to be an actor or not. At the end of the day, however, it's your decision.

Hope this helps,

Joe

Reply 6

Acaila

Incidentally, on the acting course at my uni, there's at least two people who are 30+. So I wouldn't worry about being too old.

Reply 7

chocolaterose

Incidentally, on the acting course at my uni, there's at least two people who are 30+. So I wouldn't worry about being too old.

Acaila, which acting course is that (which uni?)

Reply 8

ta-shi

if you really want to be an actor, then your best bet is to go to a good drama school. you can still do that after uni, but if you are sure about what you want to do with your life, you might want to work toward your goal as early as possible.
i second the idea of applying for both, uni and drama school. keep in mind that most people don't get into drama school on the first try, and audition expirience is a necessity. if you get into a good drama school, you might want to consider taking the place... if not, you can still go to uni.
if you opt for uni, you can still do a postgrad course. you are not too old after uni to get into acting. but from my expirience in professional theatre: if i'm looking for say a 30 old actor, i would more likley hire someone with 5+ yrs expirience than someone stright from school. i'm not saying it's not possible, but probably a tad harder than it is anyway.
also, while there are very good 1yr postgrad courses out there, 1 year trinaing isn't 3 years training.
all these things are to consider, but if you feel uni is right for you, you should definately go to uni, and probably join some drama society, just for practice.
good luck

Reply 9

Aiko

Most NCDT/CDS accredited courses encourage students to apply once they've acquired the necessary life experience elsewhere (both education and work, not necessarily related to acting). As such, you will find that many students on these courses will be in their early twenties when they begin.

Edit: Alternatively, you can always consider a postgraduate acting course after your undergraduate, should you wish to minimise the duration and funds required.